Naval Base Kossol Roads also called Naval Base Kossol Passage was major United States Navy base at Kossol Roads in northern Palau in the western Caroline Islands in the western Pacific Ocean during World War II. Kossol Roads lagoon is surrounded by fringing coral reef. The base was built to support the island hopping Pacific war efforts of the allied nations fighting the Empire of Japan. In terms of the number of ships at one base, Naval Base Kossol Roads was one of the largest Naval Base in the world in 1944 and 1945. Naval Base Kossol Roads was unique, as it was the only large US Naval base to have no shore facilities. Kossol Roads was part of US Naval Base Carolines.
History
Kossol Roads is a large tropical coral atoll with a lagoon circled by a coral reef in a circumference. The deep lagoon in the atoll offers excellent fleet anchorage for the largest ships. The lagoon has only one southern entrance, providing excellent control and protection. The southern entrance is at Kossol Roads North-South and the Ebil Passage. The largest island to Kossol Roads, and the largest island in Palau is Babeldaob island, to the south. To the north is the small island of Kayangel. The Empire of Japan built a large base and airfield on the south tip of Babeldaob, 41 miles to the south of Kossol Roads. Due to the strong defenses on Babeldaob, the island was bypassed in the island hopping campaign. But, the US Naval built bases to the south, Naval Base Peleliu and Kossol Roads to the north of Babeldaob, to attack and cut off the bases. After World War I Babeldaob became part of Japan under the South Seas Mandate. In 1944, Japan built an airfield on Babeldaob, now Roman Tmetuchl International Airport. In the United States' Battle of Peleliu (September to November 1944) the US took control of the southern tip of Palau away from the Imperial Japanese Army. Babeldaob is also spelled Babelthuap Island.
Kossol Roads was used by the Imperial Japanese Navy for anchorage. The anchorage was supported by three land bases on Babeldaob. On September 15, 1944, the US Navy captured Kossol Roads at the start of the Battle of Peleliu. By September 24 US minesweepers had cleared Kossol Roads of naval mines and Kossol Roads lagoon was safe to use. Immediately US Navy ships started to arrive and the base was set up. The USS Garland (AM-238), a minesweeper, was the gatekeeper and harbor control ship at the entrance to the lagoon. Kossol Roads Fleet Post Office # was 3027. Kossol Roads was supported by the even large base, Naval Base Ulithi, to the east.
At Kossol Roads, also called Kossol Anchorage or Kossol Passage, the US Navy set up a large floating base. The floating base was called a service squadron. A Service Squadron had all the vessels needed to operate a base, the same as a land base would have. Kossol Roads was used as an assembly area for convoys, fleets and Task force. The base was also a refueling stop for ships heading east or west. The Service Squadron was able to do repairs and resupply of the ships at Kossol Roads. Kossol Roads was a fleet staging area to support upcoming operations in the Philippines campaign including the Battle of Mindoro, Battle of Leyte Gulf and Invasion of Lingayen Gulf on Luzon.
With the construction of Leyte-Samar Naval Base] in the Philippines in late 1944, much of the operation at Kossol Roads moved to more forward bases. Kossol Roads continued to be a refueling station till the end of the war on VJ-Day.